Hello everyone! So I guess this story would be considered AU because Laura and the kids don't exist. Either way, I really wanted to write some Avengers fics with a lot of action so here it is!
Chapter 1: Union Unmade
Natasha and Clint had spent the day lounging in her dorm, spending some much needed quality time with each other after their prolonged solo missions. They had been inseparable since they returned the night before, staying up to talk for all hours of the night and now, this. Natasha sat on her kitchen counter observing her partner cook for her. Not many have had the privilege of being served by the one and only Clint Barton, and he continually enforced what an honor it was.
"Chicken parmesan is my specialty dish, I'll have you know," Clint announced while sifting through her fridge.
"Actually I do, Clint. Considering it's the dish you always cook for me," Natasha smiled, Clint's never ending quest to elicit a compliment from her was constantly met with failure.
"You know what, agent? I've decide to put you to work, grate this block of parmesan." Clint moved to be directly in front of her the holding the cheese out for her. Natasha glanced down at the dairy product before meeting his eyes once again.
She shrugged, "I've never grated anything before, Clint."
Clint scoffed, "Then why do you have a cheese grater in your cabinet?"
"That's yours. Stop leaving your things in my apartment," Natasha responded evenly. Clint grabbed her wrist and eased her off the counter before placing the food and gadget in her hands and returned to the fridge. He laughed to himself as Natasha groaned repeatedly.
"Clint, help me," she whined.
He was taken aback, "The glorious Black Widow asking for the mere archer's assistance?" Clint shuffled behind her and peered at the discombobulated mess she had created. "Here," he bought her hands into the proper position and slowly demonstrated the correct movements by guiding her hands. They both grew hush, Natasha could practically feel his breath on her neck. Perhaps it was awkwardness or they were having a tender moment, either way Romanoff was fighting the urge to turn and kiss him, a feeling she more and more fought to suppress. Sensing the tension Clint cleared his throat and rambled, "So, yea. Umm, that's how you… grate cheese."
She missed the warmth of his hands over his, an embarrassing thought but a thought nonetheless. She was considering if a 'thank you' was due when Jarvis interrupted the silence, "Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton-you're presence has been requested for a team meeting in the main lounge, immediately."
The partners shared a look, mandatory team meeting rarely were held for anything apart from a new mission. Natasha placed the plates of unprepared food into refrigerator before ushering Clint to the door. They walked halfway down the hall where the elevator was placed and rode it up to the lounge where the remaining Avengers were already gathered along with Fury.
Fury wasted no time with greetings, "We have a young terrorist group threatening international security. There appear to be a fairly new group, regardless, we need you to shut them down."
Tony was the first to deliver the question on each's mind, "Doesn't that seem a bit less 'Avengers-oriented' and more SHIELD-rookie work?"
"We've received a tip that this young group has a massive amount of Atonine Diotine-14," nobody missed Banner's eyes slightly widening, "it's a manmade substance, almost a bootleg version of the Tesseract, it's highly unstable and far too powerful to be controlled. If this group finds a way to react the chemical, we'd be looking at a catastrophic disaster. The counsel prefers if you'd handle the matter for obvious safety precautions."
"So where we headed?" Steve interjected.
"Ukraine. About an hour from Kiev. You leave in a half hour, you'll land in the capital and there will be a car waiting for you. Keep your comms in and keep me updated." Fury made a hasty leave to the elevator.
We all turned to Banner who sensed he should provide further knowledge, "Atonine Diotine-14 was a recently developed element. It's more of a prototype in power sustaining energy, it's highly toxic when reacted with carbon dioxide so the chemical can't be released into air without the risk of a Chernobyl-like incident."
"Sounds deadly, how could they get hands on this stuff?" Natasha asked.
"I don't know, which causes me to believe the tip sent to SHIELD was an error."
Thor stood, and headed to the elevators, "Well, it appears we have no time to stall. We shall investigate how real the existence of this substance is." Steve, Clint, and Natasha piled in the elevator with Thor. The soldier and god stepped off at their level first, its set up was identical to Clint and Natasha's floor. When the assassins arrived to their quarters they went in opposite directions sharing only a quick glance of sympathy that their quality time had come to an abrupt end.
The journey to Kiev was pleasurable, the team kept themselves occupied recounting stories and laughing together, in the year or so that they have worked together, they grew accustomed to the long amiable talks that always resulted in a rupture of laughter. Upon arrival, they found a military styled Jeep vehicle awaiting their use. Clint took the wheel, no one dared to question when Natasha plopped into the passenger seat beside Clint this practice was almost traditional. The rest of the men made themselves comfortable in the two empty rows of seats. It was mildly cramped due too Thor's hammer, Tony travel-ready backpacked Iron Man suit, and Steve's shield. Nevertheless, they continued discussing the mission plan when Clint noticed an all-black motorcycle in his blind spot concealing a firearm.
"I think we have company, guys." The team glanced over to cyclist. Clint sped up, the motorist matched his speed. The highway was completely abandoned with the exception of the two vehicles, they were also inconveniently driving through a relatively solitary area.
"We may need to start this mission a tad bit sooner, everyone's comms in?" Natasha bought her own hand to her unnoticeable earpiece. Static.
"The signal's been scrambled!" Bruce yelled. His eyes began to droop and he seemed to be nodding off.
"Bruce!" Natasha reached from the passenger seat to feel for his pulse, it was slow and faint, "Stark, suit up, were going to need you to watching from above." Tony clutched the Iron Man pack as it began unraveling when Clint lost control of the SUV.
"He hit our tires!" Clint attempting to steer away from the raised median dividing the highway lanes. They spun uncontrollably, only slowing to witness a second black motorcycle approaching, this time the cyclist wasted no time aiming and firing his enormous weapon towards the vehicle.
The front end of the car exploded before their eyes. Clint instinctively reached out for Natasha before both assassins were sent hurling through the window from the force of the hit.
Each Avenger was tossed in separate location as the motorcycles fled the scene. There was no one around to witness the large black SUV with tinted windows arrive at the disaster.
Thank you for reading! Please leave a review, I appreciate the support! I update often so keep on the lookout.